Many people use a bump feed weed eater which is super convenient as all you need to do is bop the head of your string trimmer on the ground or a solid object and a few more inches of line will come though. This is great, but eventually, that line is going to run out and you will need to replace it.
The thought of weed eater restringing is enough to bring most people to tears; it feels like a fiddly and tedious job that nobody really wants to do. But the truth is that, if you own a weed eater, it’s just part of the regular maintenance you need to perform if you want your tool to function as expected.
The good news is that restringing weed eaters isn’t as terrible as you’d think. In fact, it’s a pretty quick and simple job if you know what you’re doing. Once you’ve done it a couple of times, it’ll become second nature. But if you’re a beginner then this guide will tell you everything you need to know.
Before you start, there are a couple of things that you’re going to need. Thankfully, restringing a weed eater doesn’t require a whole host of tools. All you’ll need is your replacement string and some wire cutters or sharp scissors.
If this is your first time restringing your weed eater then take your time and work through the following steps.
Step One: Remove The Trimmer Head
In order to replace the weed eater string, you will need to access it. This means that you’ll have to take off the trimmer head. There should be two tabs which you can push in and this will release the trimmer head. On some models, it’s simply a matter of unscrewing the head but if you’re unsure of how yours works, just take a look in the user manual.
Once you have gotten the trimmer head off, you can then remove the spool from inside of it.
Step Two: Measure And Cut The String
You will have purchased some weed eater string from the manufacturer or your local hardware store and this will usually come on a large reel but you aren’t going to need all of it. Depending on the size of your spool, you will need to cut anywhere between 10 and 25 feet of string. Again, you can check what’s required for your weed eater by looking in the user manual.
If your weed eater has a dual line feed then you will need to cut two lengths of wire for this that are the same length.
When shopping for weed eater wire, you will also need to consider the thickness. This is usually given in increments such as .080 or .095. However, these sizes are usually in relation to a gas powered weed eater. If you’re using an electric model then the string thickness is typically a little thinner and you’ll probably be looking for something in the .065 region. Once again, your user guide will have all the information you need and if you have misplaced this, most manufacturers have digital guides online.
Step Three: Insert The String Into The Line Holder
Now that you have your length of weed eater wire, you will need to feed it into the line holder. Do this by locating the lock hole which will be on the inner rim of the weed eater spool. Pull the wire all the way through so that you are left with just a couple of inches sticking out.
There are some models of string trimmer that have two lock holes. In this case, you will need to form a crimp in the wire and put the end through the second lock hole in order to make sure that everything is secure.
Step Four: Wind The String Around The Spool
If you look at the weed eater spool, you will notice that there is an arrow printed on it. This tells you the correct direction to wind the string. When you start winding, you will need to apply a certain amount of pressure so that the string remains tight.
Try to wind the wire around so that each pass is parallel with the previous one. The last thing you want is to overlap the passes in diagonal directions as there is a good chance that it’ll get stuck when you’re trying to dispense it later down the line.
You’ll need to wind the wire around and around until there is around six inches left over. You’ll find notches on the spool so locate the nearest one and wedge the wire into this to hold it in place.
Step Five: Install The Trimmer Head
The next step is to feed that end of the trimmer wire through the hole on the trimmer head. Now you can put the spool back onto the spindle of the trimmer head.
In some cases, you may have had to take out a spring when removing the trimmer head. It’s essential that you put this back when reinstalling the head.
Some trimmer heads will use a tab system, in which case, you will need to replace the head by snapping these back into position. However, if the trimmer head is a screw design then it’s as simple as just screwing it back on.
Once the trimmer head is back in place, just give the wire a little tug so that it comes free from the notch you put it in moments ago.
At this point, it may look as though the string is too long but don’t let this concern you too much. Once you start using the tool, the blade will trim it back to the correct length and you’re good to go!
FAQs About Restringing A Weed Eater
How do you restring a dual line weed eater?
Some weed eaters require you to install two trimmer lines. This can feel confusing but the good news is that the process is very much the same. The only real difference is that you will need to feed two lines in and make sure that they are exactly the same length.
In most cases, you will need to cut around ten feet of wire but do check this in your user guide as all models vary. Now take the end of each string and insert them into the holes that are at the center of the unit.
Where the string fits tight around this section, you’ll need to pull it tight but leave one string around six inches longer than the other.
Next, you should pull both of the weed eater wires to make sure that they are facing the same direction. Then take your index finger and place it between the two strings keeping it against the plastic unit.
Take your thumb and put this against one of the wires while you place your middle finger onto the other one. Now you can slowly start winding the wire in whichever direction you need to. For the most part, it’ll be clockwise.
Finally, you will need to make sure that you leave around six inches of wire on both sides. Take one piece and put this through the hole of the side of the unit but hold the other string in place. You can then put the second string through the second hole which will be on the opposite side of the unit.
Which way do you wind weed eater string?
Most weed eaters require you to wind the wire in a clockwise direction but this isn’t the case across the board. You will usually notice an arrow on the weed eater spool that points in the direction you need to wind the string.
However, if your model doesn’t have an arrow then the best bet is to wind the string in the opposite direction to how the trimmer head turns.
Why does my trimmer line keep jamming?
One of the most common reasons that a trimmer line might keep getting stuck is that the wire is too short to bump. You can avoid this by not letting the part of the string that sticks out get too short when cutting. However, if it does, then you will have to open up the trimmer head and fix the problem.
Final Thoughts
Your weed eater is an invaluable tool and, for the most part, it doesn’t require too much maintenance. However, you will need to make sure that it always has a good supply of trimmer wire as every time you bump it, you’re eating into your supply.
Over time, the spool will become empty and you’ll have to restring your weed eater. Too many people think that this is a much more difficult task than it really is but in truth, it takes a few easy steps and you’ll be back to trimming in no time at all.
